Legislation
State: Utah
Signed: March 23, 2026
Effective: May 06, 2026
Chapter: 302
SummaryUtah enacts the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act, which allows estate planning documents to be signed and notarized electronically.
AffectsCreates Sections 75-13-101, 75-13-102, 75-13-201, 75-13-202, 75-13-203, 75-13-204, 75-13-205, 75-13-206, 75-13-207, 75-13-208, 75-13-209, 75-13-210, 75-13-301, 75-13-302, and 75-13-303 in the Utah Code Annotated.
Changes
- Enacts the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act.
- Defines terms.
- Lists, as specified, the documents that are "nontestamentary estate planning documents."
- Provides if a Utah law requires a signature or record to be notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath, the requirement is satisfied with respect to an electronic nontestamentary estate planning document if an individual authorized to perform the notarization, acknowledgment, verification, or oath attaches or logically associates the individual's electronic signature on the document together with all other information required to be included under the other law, and in conformity with the laws of the state in which the execution occurs.
AnalysisHouse Bill 181 adopts the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act, closing a long‑standing gap between electronic wills and other core estate planning instruments. By defining “nontestamentary estate planning documents” and expressly including them within a uniform statutory framework, the law confirms that documents such as trusts, powers of attorney, and advance health care directives may be created and executed in electronic form with the same legal effect. This brings consistency and predictability to electronic estate planning and aligns Utah law with emerging national standards.
Of particular significance, the statute clarifies that notarization, acknowledgment, verification, or oath requirements are satisfied for electronic nontestamentary estate planning documents when an authorized official attaches or logically associates an electronic signature in compliance with the law of the state where execution occurs. This provision reinforces cross‑jurisdictional validity and acceptance of nontestamentary estate planning documents.
Read House Bill 181.